Mechanism for handling and elevating discrete material



7353 w. H. BULLWINKLE 2,657,813v

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING AND ELEVATING DISCRETE MATERIAL Filed Feb. 19,1951 s Sheets-Shet 1 FIG WALTER H. BULLWINKLE,

Snvector attorney Nov. 3, 1953 W.'H. BULLWINKLE MECHANISM FOR HANDLINGAND ELEVATING DISCRETE MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 19, 1951 rw. mm W W m B T R N 1953 -w. H. BULLWINKLE MECHANISM FOR HANDLING ANDELEVATING DISCRETE MATERIAL Filed Feb. 19 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 WALTERH. BULLWINKLE 3nventor (Ittornegs Patentecl Nov. 3, 1953 MECHANISM FOR"HANDLING AND ELEVAT- 'ING DISCRETE MATERIAL Walter H. Bullwinkle,Fairbanks, Territory'of Alaska Application February 19, 1951, Serial No.211;727

9 Claims. (01. 214130') This invention relates to improvements in amechanism for handling and elevating discrete material and, moreparticularly, has to do with material handling machinery for elevatingmaterial pushed to an elevator mechanism at-ground level for elevationthereabove for disposal and powered by the means whereby the material ispushed.

There are many occasions in the handling of discrete materials such asearth, gravel, grain and the like in which it is desired to elevate thesame. A typical example of such a situation arises in a gravel-handlingoperation wherein the gravel is to be screened and washed between anelevated level above the ground and a lower discharge or disposal pointand the size and volume of the operation is such that it is uneconomicalto supply a power means'for performing the elevating operation separateand apart from the power means whereby the gravel is brought or moved tothe elevator means. A placer mining operation is such a situationespecially where gravel is being bulldozed from the earths surface andconveyed to a grizzly and flume where it is screened of the largerboulders and then washed in the flume. Normally such a grizzly islocated at the highest end of the flume and the gravel is depositedthereon whereupon the finer components pass down through the grizzlygrid. Often such fiumes are fed by means of clamshell buckets, powershovels, or draglines but in each instance if the material being treatedmust be conveyed any distance a bulldozer likewise has to be used.

'It is therefore among the important objects of this invention toprovide, for use with a grizzly and llume in such an operation, anelevator means for raising material from a ground level delivery pointto the elevated grizzly which is so arranged that it may be actuated bya bulldozer during the latters withdrawal from making gravel delivery;that is attachable and detachable from the actuating unit automaticallyas the unit moves toward and away from the elevator means; that issimple to construct and operate and requires a minimum of personnel toprovide effective handling of large quantities of material; and which isvery mobile. These and other objects of the invention will become moreapparent during the course of the following specification in which isdescribed the preferred forms of the invention as shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 through 4 show schematically a typical discrete materialhandling operation and the 2 essential components andoperations of mymechanism;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the elevator scoop and its pivotalrocker arms and the cable actuation means therefor;

Figurefi is an enlarged perspective view of an automatically engageablehook of an earthmover for cooperation with the cable actuation means;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of cable guide means used in mymechanism;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a resilient cable anchoremployed in connection with the rockers of the scoop;

Figures 9 and 10 are fragmentary vertical sections of a portion of thebulldozer blade showing the automatically engageable hook of Figure 6 inits two positions; and

Figures 11 and 12 are schematic views detailing the actionof the scoopduring elevation and descent in the raising of a quantity of material.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 through 4, I have shown atrack-laying or crawler type tractor 20 having the usual pusher arms 22extending forwardly on'eac'h side thereof and connected to the bulldozerblade 24 ,by means of which a quantity of discrete material, such asgravel 26, may be pushed toward the elevator mechanism. The lattercomprises the skid timbers 28 that are normally used in pairs to supportthe operating mechanism and to facilitate dragging the machine fromplace to place. Columns 30 and 32, used in pairs, support at an elevatedlevel the grizzly frame 34 to which gravel 26 is to be delivered. Afcreframe is also provided on the skids 28 and comprises the uprightcolumns 36 in pairs and which are suitably braced and buttressedinadvance of scoop 40. The foreframe is open in front of the scoop topermit, as shown in Figure 2, the partial entry of'the earthmover 20 andparticularly the pusher or bulldozer blade thereof.

The delivery of gravel to the scoop 40 is accomplished by forming a.pile of it in advance of the blade 24 and then pushing it into thescoop when the latter is down in its lowermost position such as is morefully shown in Figure 5. In this position the scoop has one walldisposed to lie on the ground so that the mouth of the device is open toreceive the gravel or the like. The scoop has an arm "'42 at each endwhich is pivotally connected to a column 30 to swing about the axis 44.To the rear of said axis there is provided on each arm a rocker element46 by which thescoop is swung from the lower to the upper positionthrough the instrumentality of the actuation cable 48 that comprises aU-shaped flexible line suitably supported and arranged in the foreframeand anchored at each end to a rocker element. The cable 48 includes thebight 58 disposed across the foreframe in front of scoop 40 and the ends51 which pass around guide sheaves 52, 52 over counterbalanced guideblocks 54, 54 thence around the perimeters of the rocker elements 46where the ends are anchored either rigidly as shown in Figure 5 orresiliently as in Figure 8.

It will be seen that when cable bight 50 is pulled outward betweenguides 52, power will be applied to the rocker elements to cause them torevolve about their axes whereupon the scoop 40 between arms 42 will beelevated from the lower position shown in Figures 1 and 2 to theintermediate and upper material-delivering positions shown in Figures 3and 4 respectively. In the latter position the scoop is inverted andmaterial that has been contained therein will be dumped upon the grizzlywhich then underlies it.

To facilitate the operation of the scoop during elevation its action isarticulated by the use of a flexible or extensible link between thelower rear of the scoop and the grizzly frame. The link is best shown inFigure 12 to comprise piston rod 56 ivotally connected at 60 to thescoop and cylinder 62 pivotally connected at 64 to a cross member 66extending laterally between uprights 30. The pivot 64 is lower than axis44. It is arranged so that the piston 59 within cylinder 60 is fittedtightly and the expansiblecontractible chambers on each side of it areported to the atmosphere so that the link extends freely but contractsslowly. Thus, when the scoop is being raised the link merely extends andacts to hold the scoop 40 in its desired earthcontaining position untilit is dumped and permitted to descend. At that instant the slowcontraction of the link takes over and the descent of the scoop iscushioned as it approaches the ground level.

The action of the extensible-contractible link upon the pivoted scoop isshown in both the ascending and descending paths indicated in Figure 11by upward and downward directed arrows. The lowermost dotted lineshowing A of the scoop 48 indicates its position on the ascent and itsuppermost dotted line position B indicates its disposition as it nearsthe ground. Arrowheaded lines H and bb indicate, respectively, the pathand disposition of the scoop in its two directions of travel. It will benoted that in this latter situation the scoop 48 is pivotally mounted atits ends on pins 4| between arms 42, 42. However, in those cases wherethere is no need to cushion the fall of the scoop to the ground or itscushion may be had in another way, the joinder of the scoop and the armsneed not be pivotal but may be solid as a shovel blade is joined to itslever. This latter condition is disclosed in Figures 1-4.

It has been mentioned that the tractor engages the hoisting cable 50.This is accomplished by means of the forwardly open, U-shaped hook 18shown in Figures 6, 9 and 10 as mounted upon scraper blade 24. Normallysuch blades have an upper ledge or flange 25 provided as part of theirstrengthening means upon which is mounted an upstanding L-shaped bracket12 that constitutes the pivotal mount for hook 18. The hook is joined tothe bracket by hinge ll intermediate its throat and the outer end of oneof its legs. During forward motion of the carrier blade the hook isdisposed as in Figure 9 and receives the cable 58 across its mouth. Asthe hook advances the cable passes to the throat or crotch of the hookwhereupon it is overthrown and the cable is placed behind and beneaththe pivotal connection between hook and bracket support. When thedirection of the hook is reversed, as when the earthmover withdraws, apull is exerted upon the cable which, being the bight of the line thatactuates the rockers 46 causes them to swing and the scoop 40 to beelevated to dumping position.

Disengagement of line 58 from the hook 18 is had by means of a trip line16 which is similarly disposed across the front of the frame in advanceof scoop 40 but at a slightly higher level than that of line 50. Thetrip line 18 is guided by blocks 18, 18, tensioned by blocks 86, andconnected to the rockers 46 all in a manner similar to the hauling line.Note however that line 76 has a stop 82 on each of its standing parts.Such stops are so located that they come into abutment with the wall 84around hole 88 through which the line passes to sheave I8. Thus, whenthe hook I0 is overturned on the inward passage of the pusher blade ofthe earthmover the upper arm of the hook sweeps through an are thatencompasses line 16 and places it in the tripping position shown inFigure 10. As the tractor withdraws the trip line operates to return thehook to its normal position when the stops 82 come against wall 84 whichprevents further paying out of the line 16. As soon as the hook isturned back to its usual disposition the line 56 is freed and thedescent of the scoop may begin. The earthmover of course merelycontinues on rearward or turns or is manipulated so as to gather to itsblade a next quantity of earth to be loaded into the scoop.

Hook 10 preferably has a broad bottom lip H which carries through thethroat at least and is then shaped to provide an upper strong hornbehind which the trip line comes to rest. Broadening the contact lip andthroat reduces wear on the cable and improves the entrance action of thecable into the hook as the tractor moves forward.

For the purposes of taking up slack in the hoisting and trip lines 58and 16, the blocks 54, 54 and 80, 88 are attached to suspension lines90, have counterweights 82 attached to their ends, and are passed oversheaves 94. When no substantial pull is exerted on the hoisting and triplines their slack is taken up by descent of the counterweights whichtend to bend the standing parts of the lines as shown in Figure 5. Ofcourse, when a pull is applied to the lines the bend is removed and thetaut lines immediately move with the force applied thereto.

The rockers 46 are preferably formed as castings although they caneasily be fabricated from bar stock and welded together in the openworkmanner shown. In one segment of the rocker which is uppermost when thescoop is at ground level I have filled the opening by casting therein acounterweight 41 of concrete which tends to aid the ascent of the scoopand tends to counterbalance its return to the lower position afterdumping.

In Figure 8, where the hoisting and trip lines are shown as resilientlyanchored to the rockers 46, the lines pass over sheaves 82, through aguide clip 83 and have at their ends, respectively, springs 5| and 11which are in turn anchored to brackets 53 and 19 on the rocker. Thesprings are extremely strong and are employed primarily to impart aslight give to the lines to prevent their snapping in the event that asharp application of force is applied for one reason or another.

A typical elevating operation is as follows: the earthmover pushes itsload of material forward of it and into the foreframe 36 of the machineuntil it is deposited in scoop 40. As the tractor enters the foreframethe forwardly open hook engages the hoisting line and in the course offurther movement is tipped over to the position of Figures 6 and 10. Atthe same time the trip line has been disposed behind the upperhorn of ahook as shown in Figure 10. It is arranged that the slack in the linesbe sufficient that, taken with the resiliency imparted through springsTl, 5|, the earthmover can enter sufiloiently to deposit its load butnot to tend to elevate the scoop above the ground. Whenthe load has beendeposited the operator reverses the di-- rection of travel of thetractor and it withdraws from the foreframe and tightens the-cables,and, primarily, imparts a draft on line 50 to cause the rockers torevolve about their axes elevating the scoop it to the dumping position.At the same time line 16 is tensioned and has the boss 82 so arrangedthereon that when the scoop has been raised and the tractor haswithdrawn a predetermined distance, boss 82 comes into contact withcheek plate 84 of the housing for the guide sheaves l8 whereupon furtherwithdrawal of the trip line is precluded. Thereupon the trip line comesinto play and causes an overturning movement on hook 10 to return it tothe position of Figure 9 which permits the hoisting line to come freeand the tractor to release the scoop to return to its down position.

While I have shown and described my invention as embodied in particularconstructions it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatmodifications and changes may be made within normal skill withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as more fullydefined in the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for handling discrete material and for elevating it from aground level delivery to an upper discharge point, comprising: a framein which said material is to be elevated including a first pair ofupright columns and a second pair of upright columns positioned inadvance of the said first pair; an arcuate rocker pivotally mounted atits axis to each of said columns of the first pair; each said rockerhaving a rigid arm projecting radially from one end of the arc thereof;an elongated scoop supportedly mounted at each end on one of said rockerarms and ranged to receive material shoved thereto when said rocker armsare in depending position; a cable anchored at each end to one of saidrockers at that end of the are that is opposite the location of therigid arm thereof; said cable being guidedly supported by said secondpair of upright columns and extending therebetween to locate a bight ofthe cable in advance of said scoop; a self-powered vehicle to pushmaterial into said scoop when the same is in the material-receivingposition; and an upstanding horn on said vehicle to engage and pull uponsaid cable bight when the vehicle is withdrawing from the scoop toimpart a draft on the cable and its ends and actuate the rockers andtheir arms to produce elevational motion of the scoop to the upperdischarge point.

2. A machine for handling discrete material and for "elevating it from aground level materialreceiving point to an upper discharge point, comprising: scoop means for receiving material shoved thereto at groundlevel; a frame about said scoop means for movably locating the same;

bight on forward movement of said vehicle; said hook being pivotallymounted on said vehicle in such manner that the hook tilts upright whenthecable is in the gullet thereof causing the cable to be disposedbehind and below said pivotal mount whereby withdrawal of the vehicleimparts a draft upon the cable and a raising of the scoop means withinsaid frame to the material discharge position.

3.=A:machine for handling discrete material and for elevating it from aground level materialreceiving point to an upper discharge point,comprising: scoop means for receiving material shoved thereto at groundlevel; a frame about said scoop means formovably locating the same;means mounted in said frame and operably asso-- ciated with said scoopmeans for guiding the same during its movement from ground level to theupper position; a'cable including a bight and guidedly associated withsaid scoop means for raising the same; said cable being positioned insaid frame in advance of the scoop means while the same is inmaterial-receiving position; a vehicle adapted for shoving material tosaid scoop means; a forwardly open, U-shaped, hook on said vehicle toengage the cable bight on forward movement of said vehicle; said hookbeing pivotally mounted on said vehicle in such manner that the hooktilts upright when the cable is in the gullet thereof causing the cableto be disposed behind and below said pivotal mount whereby withdrawal ofthe vehicle imparts a draft upon the cable and a raising of the scoopmeans within said frame to the material discharge position; a secondextensible trip line having a bight overlying said cable bight in aposition to be engaged behind the upper arm of said U-shaped hook whenthe latter is tilted upright; and stop means to limit extension of saidtrip line on withdrawing motion of the vehicle to retilt said hook toits normal, forwardly open position.

4. The structure according to claim 3 in which the stop means for tripline comprises a ferrule 0n the stop line and abutment means is providedto be engaged by said ferrule whereby the withdrawing motion of the tripis arrested.

5. A mechanism for handling discrete material and for elevating it froma ground level delivery to an upper discharge point, comprising: a framein which said material is to be elevated; a pairs of arms each pivotallymounted at one end in said frame in a coaxial manner and supportingtherebetween spaced from the pivotal mounts a scoop to travel in anarcuate path between a ground level material-receiving position and anelevated material-discharging position; a rocker element associated witheach arm of the scoop; a cable anchored at each end to one of saidrocker elements to effect simultaneous revolving of said rockers, saidcable having a bight horizontally disposed across said frame in front ofsaid scoop; a self-powered vehicle to push material into said scoop whenthe sar'nQis in the material-receiving position; and an upstanding hornon said vehicle to engage and pull upon said cable bight when saidvehicle is withdrawing from the scoop to impart a draft on said cableends to revolve said rockers and thereby elevate said scoop to an uppermaterial-discharging position.

6. The structure according to claim 5 in which the scoop is pivotallymounted at each end to one of said arms and an extensiblepivotallyconnected buffer link is disposed between a lower point on saidscoop and said frame below the pivotal axis of the said arms.

'7. The structure according to claim 5 in which the means on the vehicleto engage the cable bight is a forwardly open, U-shaped,pivotallymounted hook that engages the cable bight on forward movementof the vehicle, said hook having its pivot mounting arranged so that thehook tilts upright when the cable is pressed into the gullet thereofcausing the cable to be disposed behind and below the pivot mount.

8. The structure according to claim 5 in which the vehicle has abulldozer blade on its forward end and which blade supports a horn thatin turn has pivotally couped thereto a forwardly open, U-shaped, hookthat engages the cable bight on forward movement of the vehicle andwhich hook is pivotally coupled to said horn at one side so that whenthe cable is in the gullet of the hook the latter tilts upright causingthe cable to be disposed behind the horn and below the pivot mount ofsaid hook.

9. A mechanism for handling discrete material and for elevating it froma ground level delivery to an upper discharge point, comprising: a framein which said material is to be elevated; a scoop movably mounted insaid frame in a manner to move in an arcuate path between ground leveland the upper discharge point; cable actuated means associated with saidscoop to produce such movement; and a cable bight connected to saidcable actuated means and horizontally disposed across said frame infront of the scoop; a self-powered vehicle to push material into saidscoop when the same is in the material receiving position; and anupstanding horn on said vehicle to engage and pull upon said cable bightwhen the vehicle is withdrawing from said scoop to impart a draft on thecable and actuate the means associated with the scoop to produceelevational motion of the same.

WALTER H. BULLWINKLE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 245,350 Collin .d Aug. 9, 1881 1,895,626 Johnson Jan. 31, 19332,182,893 Garlinghouse Dec. 12, 1939 2,192,210 Stout Mar. 5, 19402,495,138 Royle Jan. 17, 1950 2,538,000 Hoar et a1. Jan. 16, 1951

